DIRECT COMMISSION PROGRAMS

Direct Commission Aviator

There's no doubt about it, this is our "poster" job. Coast Guard aviators are involved in every mission area including drug interdiction, immigration, search and rescue, marine environmental protection, marine safety, and fisheries and general federal laws applicable in the maritime environment.

The Coast Guard aviation services are provided by approximately 800 aviators and an enlisted workforce of approximately 2500. Our aircrews fly various types of the Coast Guard's inventory of 200+ aircraft dispersed among our 26 Air Stations.

Qualifications and Application Procedures:

• Be a United States citizen
• Be between the ages of 21 and 34 (applicants must have reached their 21st birthday but not their 35th birthday as of 30 September of the fiscal year in which the panel convenes)
• Meet prescribed physical standards
• Not be on active duty in the military (except USCG) at the time of commissioning; or submit a letter of resignation from your current service with your application
• Have less than 10 years of non-Coast Guard active duty military service and have less than 13 years of previous service creditable for retirement in another armed force or its reserve component
• Must be a graduate of a U.S. military flight training program
• Have full-time military or civilian flight experience within two years of the published application deadline
• Have a Baccalaureate Degree or have completed 30 semester hours (45 quarter hours) at an accredited college or university
• Have served a minimum of two years as either a Warrant Officer in the Army or a Commissioned Officer in any of the Armed Forces
• Rotary-wing applicants must present evidence of being a military rotary-wing designated aviator with a minimum of 500 rotary wing flight hours (not including flight training hours). Fixed-wing applicants must possess evidence of being a military fixed-wing designated aviator with a minimum of 500 hours in a fixed-wing aircraft. Waivers are not authorized for minimum flight hours requirement
• Present current Class I flight physical (with results of chest x-ray and Coast Guard anthropometric standards)
• Interested applicants should contact a recruiter immediately to allow ample time for eligibility screening and application preparation

Direct Commission Engineer

The Direct Commission Engineer (DCE) Program provides engineers and technologists with leadership opportunities in program management; implementing systems that enable and support CG missions. Depending on specialty, selected applicants could be in charge of overseeing the design, construction and maintenance of Coast Guard vessels, merchant vessels or shore facilities; designing systems to prevent oil spills; maintaining aids to navigation; designing and maintaining electronics, communication systems, information systems and much more.

For information on Coast Guard Engineering, please download our information booklet detailing the various engineering disciplines and career paths.

For a look at the exciting projects Coast Guard Engineers are working on, please visit these links:
Deepwater
Rescue 21

For more information about the Coast Guard, please read the Coast Guard Overview.

After your initial tour serving in an Engineering or Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Information Technology (C4IT), related billet, you will have the chance to serve a general duty tour to broaden your knowledge of the Coast Guard. This is the only service where such a tour is possible for an engineer.

Direct Commission Officer School

You will have the privilege of being a Coast Guard officer from the outset. No boot camp. DCEs are required to complete a 3-5 week resident course, depending on their past military experience. For completely new personnel, the 5-week course includes a rigorous military indoctrination period during which trainees will be expected to meet strict standards of conduct, uniform appearance and military bearing.

Rank As An Officer

Based on your experience in the degree field, education, officer standards and other criteria, selected applicants will either receive a reserve commission, or temporary commission as a Lieutenant, Lieutenant (junior grade) or Ensign.

Eligibility Requirements For Temporary Commission

• Temporary regular commission is granted to those presently in the Coast Guard as an E-5 or above with at least four years active military service, two years of which must be active duty in the Coast Guard
• Those applying for a temporary regular commission must hold a Baccalaureate Degree or higher from a college or university with an accredited engineering and/or information technology program in one of the academic degree fields listed below
• Be between the ages of 21 and 40 (applicants must have reached their 21st birthday but not their 41st birthday as of 30 September of the fiscal year in which the panel convenes)
• Selected applicants for temporary commissions should refer to the Personnel Manual, COMDINST M1000.6A for terms of service
• Have a minimum GPA of 2.5
• Pass a Coast Guard pre-commissioning physical
• Be a U.S. Citizen
• Be able to perform unrestricted service on a 24-hour, 7-day-per-week basis. Any person, who is a conscientious objector, whether or not so classified, is not eligible

Eligibility Requirements For Reserve Commission

• All applicants not eligible for a temporary commission may be able to apply for a reserve commission
• Those applying for a reserve commission must hold a Baccalaureate Degree or higher from a college or university with an accredited engineering and/or information technology program in one of the academic degree fields listed below
• Be between the ages of 21 and 40 (applicants must have reached their 21st birthday but not their 41st birthday as of 30 September of the fiscal year in which the panel convenes)
• Selected applicants terms of service for reserve commissions will receive a three-year extended active duty contract
• Have a minimum GPA of 2.5
• Pass a Coast Guard pre-commissioning physical
• Be a U.S. citizen
• Be able to perform unrestricted service on a 24-hour, 7-day-per-week basis. Any person, who is a conscientious objector, whether or not so classified, is not eligible

Eligible Academic Programs

All degrees must be accredited programs; course work intensive and technical in nature.

• Communications Engineering
• Computer Engineering
• Computer Science                           
• Command and Control                               
• Electrical Engineering                            
• Engineering Information Technology
• Network Engineering
• Software Engineering
• Systems Engineering
• Telecommunications Engineering

• Electrical Engineering
• Engineering
• Industrial Management
• Marine Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• Naval Engineering

1. At least 50% of core engineering/information technology curriculum "must" be actual coursework, not converted work experience.
2. Management degrees with an engineering or technical concentration "will not" be considered.
3. Degree's not specifically listed under Qualifying Academic Degree Fields will be considered on a case by case basis. Send resumes and transcripts to CGRC for evaluation and approval before beginning the application process.

Additional Training

You will also have the opportunity to apply for full-time university graduate or post-graduate training. If accepted, the Coast Guard will pay all tuition expenses and salary while studying.

After the Program

For those who prefer not to remain on active duty after the initial three years, the leadership and work experience you will gain from working in program management and implementing systems that enable and support CG missions are highly regarded in the private sector.

Direct Commission Environmental Manager

As a Coast Guard environmental manager, you will join a team of marine environmental-protection specialists enforcing U.S. and international laws and regulations. You will write rules and develop emergency-response plans, oversee the cleanup and investigation of oil and hazardous material spills, and inspect ships and port facilities. You may also have the opportunity to serve a general duty tour to broaden your Coast Guard knowledge and experience. The practical work and supervisory experience you will receive in the Coast Guard is highly regarded in the private sector.

The Coast Guard is not currently recruiting Direct Commission Environmental Manager applicants.

Qualifications

• Be between the ages of 21 and 40 (applicants must have reached their 21st birthday but not their 41st birthday as of 30 September of the fiscal year in which the panel convenes)
• Hold a Bachelor's Degree or higher in environmental management, environmental science, environmental economics, or another environmental-related field
• Pass Coast Guard physical
• You cannot be on active duty with another military service (unless you've submitted a discharge statement)

Direct Commission Intelligence Officer

Since 2001, when the Coast Guard became a member of Homeland Security and the U.S. Intelligence Community, the modern Coast Guard Intelligence Program has cultivated extensive relationships and partnerships with other elements of the national intelligence community to provide timely, tailored support in a wide range of Coast Guard and national missions. These missions include port security, search and rescue, maritime safety, counter-narcotics, alien migration interdiction and living, marine-resources protection.

The Coast Guard stands ready to protect the nation, provide unique intelligence and ensure that the ports, waterways and coasts are safe and secure.

Graduates of accredited graduate and undergraduate programs in intelligence who have experience in the intelligence field, and who hold current Director of Central Intelligence Directive (DCID) Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) 6/4 eligibility may be selected for commissioning in the Coast Guard as a Lieutenant, Lieutenant (junior grade), or an Ensign through a highly competitive selection process. The DCIO program is currently seeking applicants with HUMINT, MASINT, SIGINT, CI, or CT education, training and experience.

Eligibility Requirements

Individuals must meet the following requirements to apply for this program:

• Be between the ages of 21 and 40 (applicants must have reached their 21st birthday but not their 41st birthday as of 30 September of the fiscal year in which the panel convenes)
• Be a U.S. citizen
• Character Standards: Meet Art. 4.B.1.a. character standards
• Education: Must have a baccalaureate or higher degree from an accredited program in intelligence. Other majors may be considered on a case-by-case basis with a waiver
• Military Service: Prior military personnel must not have completed more than 10 years of active duty service in a U.S. Armed Service, Reserve component thereof, or National Guard
• Applicants must have no break in service for more than 24 months from discharge date from service or agency to accepting oath of office with the Coast Guard
• Physically Qualified: Be physically qualified in accordance with Art. 4.B.1.e.
• Security Clearance: Must currently hold and be able to maintain Director of Central Intelligence Directive (DCID 6/4)/Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) eligibility
• Experience: Applicants must have practical and recent work experience in the intelligence field

Initial Indoctrination

Selected applicants will complete a three- to five-week Direct Commission Officer (DCO) course, the length depending on their past military experience. For personnel with no prior military service, the five-week course includes a rigorous military indoctrination period during which trainees will be expected to meet strict standards of conduct, uniform appearance and military bearing.

Term of Service

Active duty Coast Guard selectees may qualify for and be offered temporary regular commissions. All other selectees will be offered Coast Guard Reserve commissions and will initially be given four-year, extended active duty contracts. Upon expiration of the initial active duty contracts, reserve officers may apply for extensions, and may also apply for integration into the regular Coast Guard after meeting certain requirements, such as being selected for promotion by a "best-qualified" board.

Appointment Grade

The DCIO selection panel will determine rank based on formal intelligence education, training, work experience, prior military service and other factors. Selected applicants will receive a commission as a Lieutenant, Lieutenant (junior grade), or Ensign.

Direct Commission Lawyer

Are you a Licensed Attorney? A third-year law student? If you are, you may want to be part of the Coast Guard Team as a Coast Guard Judge Advocate through the United States Coast Guard Direct Commission Lawyer Program.

As a lawyer in the Coast Guard, you'll get opportunities that any private law firm would find hard to match. For instance, your duties can include such diverse matters as military justice, civil and criminal trial advocacy, maritime and admiralty law, legal assistance and international, fiscal and environmental law.

Because we are a small group, you'll get plenty of experience, quickly, both representing clients and trying cases. And, you'll have the opportunity to seek experience outside law practice because we have no separate judge advocacy corps. Plus, you'll have the chance to move up the chain of command.

Becoming a Coast Guard Attorney

The Coast Guard has two major programs providing military attorneys or Judge Advocates: The first is for officers already serving in the Coast Guard through the Coast Guard's Advanced Education Program (or Graduate School). The second is through the Direct Commission Officer (DCO) program as a Direct Commission Lawyer (DCL). DCL candidates selected for this program will be commissioned as a Lieutenant (O-3).

An application package (found at the bottom of this page) should be downloaded and taken to your local Coast Guard Recruiter, who will assist you through the application process and supply those forms not available online. In addition, the recruiter will schedule your Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS) physical and your formal interview.

The practice of law in the Coast Guard

Core Competencies of Coast Guard Lawyers

• Legal Knowledge - Master the law
• Ethics & Professional Responsibility - Uphold the highest professional ethical standards of the legal profession
• Responsiveness - Provide legal services and counsel in the right place, at the right time
• Advocacy - Zealously represent our clients, effectively countering challenges to lawful Coast Guard operations and activities
• Client Relationships - Partner with Coast Guard decision makers at all levels, understanding their business and giving them legal capabilities needed to accomplish their mission
• Leadership - Develop skills and experiences needed to be leaders in the world's premier Coast Guard.
• Technology - Expertly use technology to deliver legal services to Coast Guard leaders and people, wherever they need them.

Practice Areas

The Coast Guard Legal Program is a "full service" legal support organization, providing legal advice and counsel for any and all requirements the service's decision makers place on us. This is done within 10 general legal practice areas: Criminal Law/Military Justice, Operations, International Activities, Civil Advocacy, Environmental Law, Procurement Law, Internal Organizational Law, Regulations & Administrative Law, Legislative Support and Legal Assistance.

Criminal Law/Military Justice

As an armed force, the Coast Guard is subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice. The Judge Advocate General is designated the Coast Guard's senior military attorney. Military Judge Advocates serve as defense counsel and prosecutors for military court-martials and as military judges at the trial and appellate level. Judge Advocates assigned as appellate counsel (both for the government and defense) brief and argue cases before the Coast Guard Court of Criminal Appeals, the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, and the Supreme Court of the United States. Coast Guard attorneys serve as Staff Judge Advocates to Coast Guard commanders, providing advice on military criminal matters.

Operations

Legal counsel and enforcement guidance in key mission areas, including: maritime homeland security, enforcement of laws and treaties (particularly drug laws, fisheries laws, customs laws, environmental laws, and immigration law), search and rescue, icebreaker operations, intelligence law, national security and defense operations, marine environmental protection, port safety and security (including Captain of the Port functions & homeland security, maritime defense zone responsibilities), and other Coast Guard missions as well as in the following general areas: vessel inspection and commercial vessel safety, merchant vessel personnel, and review of appeals by merchant seamen of suspension and revocation orders entered by Administrative Law Judges, investigations of marine casualties and violations of law by merchant mariners; appeal adjudication for civil penalty cases; determines the navigable status of U. S. waters.

International Activities

Coast Guard attorneys serve as advisors or representatives of the United States at most of the several bodies of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), headquartered in London, including the Assembly, the Facilitation Committee, the Marine Safety Committee, the Safety of Navigation subcommittee and the Radio-communications and Search and Rescue subcommittee and the Legal Committee. The principal and alternate U.S. Representative to the IMO Legal Committee are Coast Guard attorneys. One Coast Guard attorney is currently assigned as liaison to the Department of State, another is attached to the Department of Defense Institute for International Legal Studies.

Civil Advocacy, Claims & Litigation

The Coast Guard actively manages an extensive claims program under several federal statutes. These involve adjudicating claims made against the agency and collecting monies owed the government due to penalties assessed for violations of federal law, for damage to Coast Guard property, and for cleanup and recovery costs. Coast Guard attorneys are actively involved in a wide variety of civil litigation, from simple tort defense to Constitutional challenges. Judge Advocates are assigned to the Department of Justice where they provide valuable Coast Guard experience to DOJ attorneys in the shipping and admiralty and environmental defense areas.

Procurement Law

Coast Guard attorneys in the Office of Procurement Law at Headquarters, in the two Maintenance and Logistics Commands, and in some field legal offices, provide contract law advice to management, technical, and contracting officials at all levels of the Coast Guard. This ranges from daily advice to field level contracting officers to serving as counsel for major construction, acquisition, and procurements. Advice is provided from the earliest planning stages of procurement through contract negotiation and award as well as through contract administration, which may include action on claims and contract litigation.

Environmental Law

Legal services are provided in support of Coast Guard compliance with federal, state and local environmental requirements, and for the acquisition and disposal of real property. Advice is given regarding federal, state and local requirements that may affect or constrain Coast Guard activities. We represent the Coast Guard, either directly or through the Department of Justice (DOJ), in environmental enforcement actions against the Coast Guard, environmental citizen suits, and challenges to Coast Guard activities brought under environmental statutes. The Office of Environmental Law at CG Headquarters evaluates requests for representation from Coast Guard personnel sued or criminally charged in their individual capacities for environmental violations, and forwards such requests to DOJ with appropriate recommendations.

Internal Organizational Law

This practice area encompasses a wide range of legal subjects with perhaps the largest number of clients. Coast Guard attorneys provide legal advice on issues including federal fiscal law, gift acceptance and standards of ethical conduct for government employees, management, military and civilian personnel law, civil rights, healthcare, privacy and the release of information. To some extent, Coast Guard attorneys do this work wherever they are. Attorneys at the Office of General Law at Headquarters and at the Maintenance & Logistics Commands provide advice and represent the Coast Guard on matters involving the Merit Systems Protection Board, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and labor relations. The Office of Military Justice is involved in two personnel law areas: the Board of Correction of Military Records and representation of Coast Guard members in physical disability cases.

Regulations and Administrative Law

The Judge Advocate General is responsible for the legal sufficiency, format, style and placement in the Code of Federal Regulations of all Coast Guard public regulatory documents and related rule-making matters under the statutory authority of the Commandant. The Office of Regulations & Administrative Law provides legal counsel, review, drafting assistance, and other support services for all rule-making activities by Coast Guard Headquarters and field managers. This office also provides legal counsel, review, and other support services for issues arising under the Freedom of Information Act and the Federal Advisory Committee Act.

Legislative Support

The Office of Legislation provides legal counsel for the drafting, reviewing and coordination of the legislative program for the Coast Guard, usually in the form of the annual Coast Guard authorization bill for future fiscal years. The office coordinates agency review of pending legislation, Congressional testimony, proposed executive orders, and other agencies' reviews of pending legislation. We also provide Coast Guard comments regarding draft statements of Administration policy on pending legislation.

Legal Assistance

The Coast Guard, as do the other military services, provides personal legal services to eligible beneficiaries. This program, provided in accordance with Title 10, United States Code, Section 1044, makes attorneys available to provide advice, counsel and in some cases representation on many civil legal matters including estate planning, financial issues, landlord/tenant and personal real property, domestic and family law, application of the Soldiers and Sailors Civil Relief Act and other federal laws impacting military personnel in the civilian community, and taxes.

For More Information on the Direct Commission Lawyer Program

To find out more about the practice of law in the Coast Guard, the application and selection process, and answers to frequently asked questions, please visit The Judge Advocate General's Web Site.

Qualifications

• U.S. Citizen
• Be between the ages of 21 and 40 (applicants must have reached their 21st birthday but not their 41st birthday as of 30 September of the fiscal year in which the panel convenes)
• Meet prescribed physical standards
• Not be on active duty in the military (except USCG) at the time of commissioning
• Be a graduate of, or a third-year law student in, an ABA-accredited law school
• Present evidence of either admission to the bar of the highest court of a state, the District of Columbia, or U.S. Territory, or application to take such a bar prior to the scheduled Direct Commission Officer Course

Direct Commission Selected School

The Direct Commission Selected School program is a great opportunity for college graduates who were exposed to military training while earning their degree, to pursue an exciting and invigorating career in the Coast Guard. You will be able to take on responsibility fast, make critical decisions, and tackle challenging assignments.

Eligibility Requirements

• Be a U.S citizen
• Be between the ages of 21-40
• Have a baccalaureate degree from on of the following schools:
  
  • Norwich University
  • Prairie View A&M University
  • Texas A&M University
  • Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
  • Virginia Military Institute
  • Mary Baldwin College, Virginia Women’s Institute for Leadership
• Have successfully completed at least two years of ROTC or equivalent regimented training, or two years at a federal military service academy
•  Have less than 10 years of non-Coast Guard active duty military service

Medical Physician Assistant Program

What is a Physician Assistant? A physician assistant (PA) is a post-graduate degreed healthcare provider who is trained in the medical model to deliver physician services. The PA works on a physician directed team caring for the various active duty, reserve, and family member beneficiaries. More information about the PA can be found at www.aapa.org.

What is the commitment required for this program?

The training program itself if an intensive 29 month long curriculum (broken up into two phases) and is conducted at the Inter-service PA Program (IPAP), Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, TX.

Phase I (58 Weeks) is heavily didactic, offering 96 semester hours (SH) and consisting of medical and clinical sciences.

Phase II (58 Weeks) consists of clinical rotations and continued didactic instruction, providing an additional 50 plus SH at designated DoD service specific sites. Selected applicants should expect 3 Permanent Change of Station (PCS) moves over 25 months.

Enlisted Coast Guard (CG) students graduating from IPAP receive a CG commission as a temporary regular Ensign. Officer students will retain their current rank and grade. These Officers incur a 3 for 1 service payback obligation for their first year of training and a 1 for 1 service payback obligation for their second year of training, for a total payback obligation of 4 years CG service.

What sort of degree will I walk away with?

IPAP students receive a BS degree upon completion of phase I and a Masters degree upon completion of phase II from the University Of Nebraska School Of Medicine.

Where could I serve?

In one of 42 small, Family Medicine/primary care clinics or aviation medical clinics located in coastal regions throughout the Continental U.S. and outside the Continental U.S. (Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Alaska). Most clinics are single physician with a physician assistanor nurse practitioner. Several clinics have three or more physicians and multiple physician assistants. A limited number of location have a physician assistant only, located in a DoD facility or small satellite clinic.

What would I do as a Physician Assistant?

Most physician assistants are involved in full time outpatient primary patient care, with some clinical supervisory requirements of the enlisted health care personnel. Eight physician assistants are dedicated full time to policy, planning, quality assurance, education, and force management.

Patient care responsibilities include active duty personnel, their families and retirees, although patient profiles vary from clinic to clinic. Inpatient care and OB generally not available in Coast Guard clinical settings.

Coast Guard physician assistants are occasionally called upon to perform search and rescue (usually APAs) or humanitarian missions. Deployments (time away from home) are generally short (2-3 weeks but can be up to 6 months) and are almost always covered by volunteers. Coast Guard physician assistants have served in Kuwait/Iraq and aboard cutters for out of hemisphere deployments. Physician assistants in the Port Security Units (PSU) are considered an overseas deployment platform and more likely to work outside of the U.S. Only one billet, on the ice breaker USCG Healy, is full-time to a cutter. Most of the other PA billets are located at one of the various clinic facilities.

Selective reserve physician assistants normally work one weekend a month that is scheduled for the PSUs. The clinic jobs often require work week (Monday through Friday) availability since most clinics are not open on weekends.

What are the Prerequisites for the program? Documented 100 hours of patient care experience as an emergency medical technician (EMT), health service technician (HS), paramedic, hospital volunteer, or other health related field.

Documentation must be in letter form from a supervisor in the facility where the experience was gained, or, for CG EMTs and health services technicians, a command endorsement that documents the experience.

Be physically qualified for worldwide duty and pass a pre-commissioning physical examination.

Have no court-martial convictions or non-judicial punishment (NJP) during current enlistment.

Applicant must be a United States citizen.

Obtain a minimum Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) score of 1530 taken within the previous 5 years for the enlisted applicant. The SAT is not required for the officer applicants.

Have a minimum of 60 semester hours (SH) of transferable college credits with a grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale. At least 30 SH must be in resident and up to 30 SH may be obtained through military schools as recommended by the American Council on Education, CLEP or DANTES. Nonresident SH must be acceptable by the University Of Nebraska, and be reposted on a Coast Guard Institute Education Assessment Worksheet (CGI-1560/04E). The following mandatory college level courses must be taken as in-resident courses, coded at a 100 level or higher and be semester hours (SH) or equivalent. Mandatory curriculum includes: (1) Algebra (100 level or higher) 3 SH (2) Anatomy and Physiology 6 SH (Two course series that does not include introduction or fundamental course levels) (3) General Chemistry 6 SH (4) English 6 SH (3 SH must be English Composition) (5) Humanities/Social Sciences 6 SH (6) Psychology 3 SH.

CG Officer in the grade of LTjg (O-2) or below or CG Active Duty Enlisted personnel of any rating, E-4 or above, in second or subsequent enlistment may apply. Waivers for time in service requirement may be considered based on the needs of the service, but cannot be less than 3 years of Active Duty Service at time of application.

What is the application process?

In addition to the Command Endorsement required as part of the E-Resume process, applicants must submit two letters of recommendation from U.S. Public Health Service/CG Physicians, physician assistants or nurse practioners who are familiar with the applicant's medical experience and propensity for clinical care.

Non-Health Service Technician (HS) applicants may substitute letters from civilian physicians or physician assistants who are familiar with the applicants health care experience. Applicants who are unable to secure a letter of recommendation from a physician or physician assistant shall contact the PA force manager listed below for guidance.

Enlisted applicants must complete a three officer interview panel consistent with the OCS and DCO application process. The officer programs applicant assessment form (CG-5527) must be completed by the interview panel and submitted directly to CGPC-OPM-1 for enclosure with the member's application. Officer applicants must have at least two OERs. The officer interview panel can normally be schedules through and CG ISC, Sector, MSO or Air Station. Those applicants re-applying may use the same CG-5527 for up to 2 years. Thereafter, a new interview should be conducted. Applicants having trouble scheduling an officer interview should contact the physician assistant force manager for further assistance.

Applicants must submit a self-composed, typed essay (350 words or less) expressing their reason for desiring to become a CG officer and physician assistant, how the CG will benefit by selecting them, and a brief description or example of how they respond to stressful situations.

CG applicants must complete an E-Resume and select the position associated with the physician assistant post graduate program. Forwarding command endorsements via the E-Interview shall include a considered opinion of the applicants leadership, interests, ability and potential value to the service as a physician assistant. Only endorsements from the immediate command are authorized. In the "Job Endorsement" page under the "Recommendation" drop-down menu, commanding officers should choose "Make Offer" to positively endorse a candidate's application.

Applicants must separately mail remaining application materials such as official copies of transcripts, SAT scores, two letters of recommendation, personal essay, approved pre-commissioning physical examination, certifies documentation of health care experience, signed payback statements, and a signed privacy act statement to CGPC-OPM-1.

Copies of college transcripts will not be accepted. An applicant whose transcripts are unacceptable to the University Of Nebraska Medical Center PA Program will be disqualifies from application to the CG PA training program.

Selective reserve physician assistants can be accessed most any time of the year with rolling application and boards. Active duty position accession timeline depend upon source of commissioning. Coast Guard members usually receive new assignments in March of their fourth year of their current assignment. Transfers usually occur in July or August of that same year. The process for joining the selective reserve program is started by contacting LCDR James Cannon, PA Force Manager.

Who do I contact for more information?

Applicants are encouraged to seek amplifying information on eligibility requirements, prerequisites, and clarification of application procedures by contacting LCDR James Cannon, PA Force Manager, COMDT (CG-1122), at (202) 475-5183.